Something Worth Fighting For
by ausllydawmoon
Summary: Austin finds out about Dez's bully and is most definitely not happy about it.


All he can see is the color red as he marches down the hall. He can practically feel smoke coming out of his ears, and he clenches his jaw tighter than it already is.

He isn't usually the violent type, but when he finds out that some jerk has been bullying his _best friend_ , he can make an exception because this is _Dez_ we're talking about here and Austin has vowed to himself to protect the tall redhead at all costs.

Austin finally finds what's-his-face at his locker talking to one of his dumb friends about some dumb subject, trying to act cool but in reality just looking dumbity-dumb-dumb.

His vocabulary skills aren't at their prime at the moment, for he has something much more important to think about.

He storms right up to the dark-haired boy, grabs him by the collar, and slams him backwards against the locker as hard as he possibly can. The guy hits his head and groans in pain as he slides down to the ground.

His friend runs off with wide eyes, probably to get a teacher, but Austin doesn't care.

The angry blonde throws a couple kicks at the injured boy, yelling curses as his face burns red in his fury.

"Get up!" he yells at the bully. The kid doesn't budge. " _Get up_!" he screams louder.

When the brunette still doesn't move, Austin grabs his collar and pulls him into a standing position, pinning him against the lockers. He looks dizzy and weak, and Austin prepares to throw a punch.

Before he can, however, he feels a pair of arms wrap around his torso and pull him away from the guy. He fights against the person's grip, screaming at them to let him go.

"Austin, calm down!" he hears the voice of his best friend yell in his ear. "What's gotten into you?"

"What's gotten into me?!" he exclaims, whipping around to face the redhead. " _What's gotten into me?!_ How about my best friend has been _bullied_ for the past _five years_ and never told me?! How about my best friend has been beat and broken and has _cried_ himself to _sleep_ , has thought about _killing himself_ , but I had to find out from my _girlfriend_ because he wouldn't tell me himself?! Do you think _that's_ what could've gotten into me?!"

At this point, he's so frustrated and absolutely _enraged_ that his vision is blurry, but he soon comes to realize that it's the frustrated tears streaming from his eyes that are impairing his vision.

His best friend sighs and looks down, shutting his eyes for a few seconds before looking up at him again.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Austin screams, angry at Dez now. "I could've helped you! I could've told them to back off! I could've-I could've done _something_ to-to-"

"Austin," Dez says, surprisingly calmly, placing his hands on the blonde's shoulders. "Take a deep breath."

"Take a deep-are you even listening to me?!" Austin doesn't bother wiping the tears from his cheeks, for there are far too many, and they're still coming. "Ally had to talk you out of _suicide_ because of that jerk! And you didn't even-you were never even gonna _tell_ me?! If-if you had gone through with it, you wouldn't have even said _goodbye_ or _explained_ to me why you left me?! _Why didn't you tell me_?!" His screams are coming out broken and thick because of his tears, and Dez drags him outside before anyone comes.

"I didn't tell you because I _knew_ you would do this!" Dez finally yells at him. "I knew you would blow up and try to freaking _kill_ that kid for what he was doing to me, and I didn't want you getting into any trouble!"

"You didn't want _me_ getting into any trouble?! What about _you_ , Dez?! _You're_ the one getting picked on! I'm trying to protect you!"

"Yeah?! Well beating up Zack won't protect me at all! He's just gonna retaliate and take it out on _me_ , you idiot!"

"Not if he's in the hospital!"

Dez rolls his eyes and takes a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Look," he says, calm again, "thank you for trying to protect me. I-I appreciate it. I really do. But you're only making things worse. I'm sorry for not telling you."

Austin doesn't reply, instead turning away and clenching both his jaw and fists again as more tears roll down his face. He isn't mad at Dez anymore, but he's _pissed_ at himself.

He should've seen the pain behind Dez's smiles. He should've seen the dark hues hidden by Dez's mother's makeup. He should've been able to tell that something was wrong at least _once_ in the past five years because they're _best friends_ and this is a _big deal_ and it most definitely _shouldn't_ have gotten past him.

But it did. And because of it, Dez has been going through all this pain _alone_ (because from what Ally said, she only found out a few days ago). His best friend needed him, and he wasn't there. He's just as much at fault as the bully's.

"Austin-"

"I could've been there for you, Dez," Austin interrupts, turning back around. All the frustration and anger is gone, and now he just feels guilty and helpless and brokenhearted that he hasn't been able to do more for his best friend. "I-You could've come to me. I could've helped you. We-We could've talked about it."

"You already think I'm this weak little creature that needs all your protection. I didn't wanna prove you right."

"You think _that's_ how I see you?" Austin asks in disbelief, even more hurt than before.

"It's how everyone else sees me. And I know you feel the need to protect me."

"Well, of course I do. We're best friends. You'd protect me, too."

"You try to fight all my battles. Apparently quite literally," Dez says, referring to Austin's fight today.

"I want to help you."

"Sometimes I have to help myself."

"Well, it's not like you've been able to help yourself in this situation."

"All I'm saying is that I'm not as weak as you think I am, okay? Everything Ally told you is true, but…but I'm okay now. You know, she used _you_ as a reason for me to stay. I think that's the one thing that stuck with me. I-I couldn't leave you."

Austin sighs. "How do we stop that guy?"

"We don't," the redhead responds. "He doesn't care what people do to him. So we just wait it out till after school's over."

"Dez-"

"I'll be okay," he promises. "Really. And if I'm ever _not_ okay…you'll fix it."

Austin smiles slightly. "I'll try."

"I'd expect nothing less. So…you're good now? You're not gonna murder him?"

"I want to."

"But you won't. Because I'm telling you not to and you will respect that."

"Fine," Austin says with a sigh. "But if he keeps bothering you-"

"I will talk to you and you will help me through it like a best friend should. But you getting busted for beating him up will do nothing but make me feel guilty."

"Promise you'll talk to me now? You know I'm here for you."

"Yeah, I know," Dez says, smiling at his friend.

Austin pulls Dez in for a hug, and he ruffles his hair when they pull away.

"Everything he says to you…it isn't true. You know that, don't you?" he asks.

"Yeah. I mean, I guess I believe it sometimes, but I'm okay. Besides, I can't be _that_ big of a loser if I can beat _you_ at every video game I own."

Austin laughs. "You get more practice than I do!"

"C'mon, buddy. Admit you suck."

Austin rolls his eyes and shoves Dez lightly, and the redhead grins. A real, genuine smile with no pain behind it at all.

Maybe he'll be okay after all.

* * *

 **yikes sorry for this someone else should've written it**


End file.
